If We Don't Live
by MoonlightSpirit
Summary: When Zuko and Katara go after they Southern Raiders, they find themselves in a difficult predicament. Dangling over the edge of the cliff with no way of escape. Not know whether or not they will live, secrets are revealed and feelings are unveiled.


**This stiry actually came to me in a dream. Well, not the whole story. I wasn't Katara or (thankfully, since I'm a girl) Zuko in the dream. I was sorta watching from the outside. It was weird. Anyway, here's **_**If We Don't Live**_**...**

_**PLEASE READ THIS:**_** This story takes place some time during **_**The Southern Raiders. **_**I tweaked the episode a bit to fit the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.**

Katara and Zuko peered of the edge of the cliff, where they were hiding from...

"The Southern Raiders," Zuko said to Katara, pointing to a camp, visible from their spot on the cliff, "That's they're camp right there. The leaders tent is the large one, right in the middle." Katara nodded. Zuko looked over at her to see her ocean blue eyes blazing with anger and revenge.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Zuko asked her. Katara looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Of course," she snapped, standing up, dusting off her dark outfit and going to sit by the campfire that Zuko had set up for them. Appa was kept hidden in the forest near them. Zuko moved to sit next to Katara.

"When the moon is high in the sky," Zuko said, looking up at the night sky. They had a few hours.

"There's a full moon tonight and your power will be at it's strongest then," Zuko continued. Katara stared into the fire. Zuko noticed the shadows under her eyes.

"You should get some sleep," Zuko told her.

"I"m fine," Katara said, but yawned right after her statement.

"Get some sleep," Zuko said, "You're going to need your sleep." Zuko waited for Katara to respond, probably with a snappy retort, but instead, he felt something land on his shoulder. He looked over at Katara to see she had fallen sleep on his shoulder. Zuko looked at Katara face for a while. Instead of twisted in a scowl or anger, like it usually was around him, it was completely relaxed. Her face was smooth and peaceful, her perfect lips parted slightly and her chest rising and falling with each breath. While asleep, Katara looked so vulnerable. Zuko saw the small, frightened girl inside her that he had first seen at the South Pole. It was hard to believe that frightened little girl from the South Pole was the strong, confident, outspoken, beautiful young woman in front of him. Zuko didn't know how long he was watching Katara, but before he knew, the moon was almost right overhead.

"Katara, wake up," he said softly, shaking her shoulder. Katara mumbled something that sounded like, "No Mr. Penguin, don't eat the yellow snow." Zuko chuckled softly.

"Katara, you've got to wake up, it's time to go," Zuko said. Katara's eyes fluttered open. Then widened in horror.

"What's going down there Zuko?" Katara asked, lifting her head from Zuko's shoulder and rushing to the edge of the cliff. Zuko followed the gaze to see figures moving around the Southern Raiders camp. It looked as if they were packing up to leave.

"They're leaving," said Katara, scrambling to stand up, pulling the black mask over her mouth.

"Why didn't you tell me they were leaving?!" she snapped at Zuko. Zuko sat there dumbstruck. What was he suppose to say? _I was too busy staring at you_.

"Well don't just sit there with your mouth hanging open!" Katara shouted, "Come on!" Zuko stood up quickly, pulling his own black mask over his mouth. He ran to catch up with Katara. They ran in silence. It didn't take them long to reach the camp, where the Southern Raiders were nearly done packing up camp. Most of them were already mounting their Komodo Rhinos. Zuko and Katara hid behind a boulder.

"The leader is the one with the red and black wing helmet," Zuko said, "Do you see him?"

"Yes," Katara said. Zuko heard the venom in her voice.

"Let's do this," Katara said, determination clear in her voice. Zuko and Katara stealthy moved toward the camp, hiding behind whatever they could find. A bush, a tree, a boulder, a pile of unpacked supplies.

"Here," Katara said as they stopped behind a tree, "This is good." Zuko looked at her and couldn't help the odd feeling that crept into his stomach at the anger burning in Katara's eyes. Zuko watched her as she stepped into the shadows, her eyes still on the leader of the Southern Raiders. The man that killed her mother. Zuko watched Katara move her arms in a way that looked as if she were bending. But there was no water around. Suddenly, there was a shout of pain from the Southern Raiders camp. Zuko watched the leader fall off his Komodo Rhino and twitch in pain. Zuko looked from the leader to Katara and realized what was happening. His uncle once told him that some waterbenders had the ability to 'bloodbend' or control the human body by manipulating the water in it. But it was not in a waterbender's nature to hurt. Which is why Zuko was paralyzed with shock as he watched Katara. Some of the Southern Raiders had surrounded the leader, trying to find out what's wrong with him, while others searched around the camp. Zuko noticed them getting way to close to their hiding spot.

"Katara we have to go," Zuko whispered at her, but Katara didn't seem to notice.

"Katara," Zuko hissed. The Southern Raiders were getting much to close to them.

"Kata-" Zuko's sentence was cut off as he watched a member of the Southern Raiders aim a fireball at Katara. Zuko pushed her out of the way.

"Over here," shouted the member. Zuko grabbed Katara's hand and they rushed through the forest, the Southern Raiders on their heels. Unfortunately, they reached the edge of the cliff where the Southern Raiders.

"No where left to run," said the chillingly cold voice of the leader of the Southern Raiders. Zuko took a fighting stance, moving so that he was in front of Katara.

"Foolish boy," said the leader, "Do you really think you could take us on?" Zuko knew he was outnumbered, but held his ground. The leader shot a fireball at Zuko's feet and Zuko took a step back. Bad idea. Katara and Zuko stumbled right over the edge of the cliff. Zuko reached out one hand to grab a branch hanging out off the cliff side and reached the other hand to grab Katara's hand.

"What do we do sir?" one of the members asked.

"Leave them there," said the leader, "The boy can't hold on forever." Zuko watched them leave and heard the Kimono Rhino's walk away. All was silent.

"Katara, can you hold onto me?" Zuko asked, "I can hold onto this branch better with two hands." Katara nodded. Zuko used his hand to pull her up and she wrapped her arms tightly around his middle while Zuko held onto the branch with both of his hands. They were dangling so hundreds of feet above the ground. If they fell, the fall would surely kill them.

"I'm so stupid," Katara said. Zuko could hear the tears in her voice.

"I promised never to bloodbend again," she said, tears falling down the face. Zuko saw that the anger was gone from her eyes, now replaced by shock, fear and sadness. And Zuko doubted they would get out of this predicament alive.

"Shhh, don't cry Katara," Zuko said softly, trying to calm her, his arms straining to hold onto the branch. He felt it strain under their wait.

"Katara," Zuko said quickly, "I'm not going to lie. Chances are, we're not going to make it out of this alive. And I need to tell you something."

"What?" Katara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You have to promise not to hurt me," Zuko said, "Because right not I'm the only thing keeping us alive and I don't know how much longer I can hold on." Zuko felt his muscles straining, begging for him to let go.

"What is it?" Katara asked. Zuko sighed and mumbled something.

"What?" Katara asked.

"I love you, okay?" Zuko said. Katara's eyes widened in shock.

"Katara?" Zuko asked, "You can respond anytime now."

"I-I..." Katara struggled with the words. It was now or never.'

"I love you too, okay?" she said, tears of frustration in her eyes, "That's why I've been so mean to you lately. Before you betrayed me in Ba Sing Se, I was actually starting to like you, and when betrayed me, it hurt. Alot. And I didn't want to admit to myself that I might be falling for you." Katara looked down, a blush on her dark cheeks.

"Katara," Zuko said softly. Katara looked up to see Zuko looking at her with an intense look in his eyes. He leaned down and captured Katara's lips in a passionate kiss. Katara kissed him back with as much passion as she could. When they parted, Zuko said, "Katara, I can't hold on any longer." Zuko's muscles were straining for release. Katara tightened her arms around him, as if reassuring him. Zuko felt the last bit of his strength drain and Zuko's hands slipped from branch. He grabbed Katara as they fell to the ground. But instead of hitting the ground, they hit something softer and soon felt the wind on their faces. Zuko opened his eyes and noticed where they were.

"Katara, open you eyes," he whispered to her. Katara opened her eyes slowly, then a smile spread across her face.

"Appa!" she said happily, "He must have known we were in trouble."

"I never thought I'd be so glad to see this thing," said Zuko, petting Appa from his spot on the saddle. Appa growled happily. Zuko looked back at Katara.

"So," she said, avoiding Zuko's eyes, "About what happened back there. Did you mean it?" Zuko moved to sit next to Katara, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him.

"I meant every word," he said. Katara smiled at him before Zuko captured her lips in another kiss.

**There's _If We Don't Live... _The part from my dream was from when Zuko and Katara were dangling on the edge of the cliff up to when they kiss. I ****hope you liked this! Please Review!**


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